Knee Arthroplasty Information

Knee Arthroplasty, otherwise known as Total Knee Replacement, is a surgical procedure that replaces an arthritic knee joint with an artificial joint. The aim is to take away pain, restore function and preserve anatomy.

A typical knee replacement replaces the ends of the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) with a plastic prosthesis. The patella (knee cap) is usually replaced as well. The prosthesis replicates the knee’s natural ability to roll and glide smoothly as it bends.

The knee is the largest joint in the body and consists of the lower end of the thigh bone (femur), which rotates on the upper end of the shin bone (tibia) and the knee cap (patella), which slides in a groove on the end of the femur. Large ligaments attach to the femur and tibia to provide stability. The long thigh muscles give the knee strength.

The joint surfaces where these three bones touch are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth substance that cushions the bones and enables them to move easily and smoothly.

All remaining surfaces of the knee are covered by a thin, smooth tissue liner called the synovial membrane. This membrane releases a specialised fluid that lubricates the knee and in a healthy knee reduces friction to nearly zero.

In a healthy knee all of these components work in harmony. But disease or injury can disrupt this and result in pain, muscle weakness and reduced function.

In an arthritic knee the components no longer function at their optimum level which restricts movement and interferes with day to day activities.

Symptoms

In an arthritic knee the following is often found:

The cartilage lining is thinner than normal or completely absent. The degree of cartilage damage and inflammation varies with the type and stage of arthritis.

The capsule of the arthritic knee is swollen

The joint space is narrowed and irregular in outline; this can be seen in an X-ray image

Bone spurs or excessive bone can also build up around the edges of the joint

The combinations of these factors make the arthritic knee stiff and limit activities due to pain or fatigue.

Total Knee Replacement Surgery is usually recommended for older patients who suffer from pain and loss of function from arthritis and after other conservative methods of intervention have failed.

Most patients who have a total knee replacement are aged between 60 to 80 years, but each patient is assessed individually and patients as young as 20 or as old as 90 are occasionally operated on and with good results.

Benefits of Knee Arthroplasty

The benefits following surgery are the relief of symptoms of arthritis. A total knee replacment can result in the reduction or complete disappearance of:

Severe pain that limits your everyday activities including walking, shopping, visiting friends, getting in and out of chair, gardening

Disclaimer: Information provided via this website is for educational and communication purposes only. The material presented is neither intended to convey the only, nor necessarily the best, method or procedure, but rather represents techniques and procedures used by A/Prof Al Muderis. A/Prof Al Muderis disclaims any and all liability for injury and/or other damages which result from an individual using techniques presented on this website. A/Prof Al Muderis, to the best of his knowledge, believes the information presented is current and applicable to work being done by orthopaedic surgeons worldwide.